1. The potential changes on health, impacts of extreme weather events due to climate change in coastal areas of Bangladesh
Dr. Russell Kabir, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Department for Allied and Public Health
Anglia Ruskin University
UK.

2. Global Perspective of Climate Change
Climate Change is global phenomenon;
Average global rise in temperature of 1.4 degree C to 5.8 degree C between 1990 and 2100;
Changes in sea levels; projected to rise between .09 and .88 meters by 2100 relative to 1990
Climate change is very likely to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events such as cyclones drought and floods.
Its negative impacts are more severely felt by poor people and poor countries;

3. Bangladesh the worst sufferer
Negligible gas emissions - worst victim.
Bangladesh emits a minuscule of GHG, in terms, to billion tonnes
Developed countries billion tonnes in
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries because of its
geographic location;
flat and low-lying topography;
high population density;

4. What Bangladesh facing
A meter rise of sea level would inundate
a quarter of our landmass;
- displacing over 20 million people by 2050;
creating enormous humanitarian and political crisis beyond its national boundaries;
melting glaciers would further contribute to erratic weather pattern with prolonged monsoon floods, cyclones and droughts leaving 40 million people without livelihood;
C.C. conditions costing the national economy 1% of the GDP annually for over the last decade.

5. Cyclones in Bangladesh
Frequency of cyclones has increased significantly due to Climate change
Major cyclones in 1970, 1985, 1991 and resulted in over 500,000 deaths. Cyclone Sidr responsible for > 3,178 deaths. Cyclone Aila responsible for > 190 deaths
Up to 36 million people are physically exposed periodically and 15 coastal districts are cyclone prone
EPR from Health Sector

6. The Coast of Bangladesh
The coastal region of Bangladesh is situated in the South of the country.
The total length of Bangladesh coast line is 710 Km long.
Coastal area covers 32% of country’s total areas.
40 million people/ 28% of country’s population live in the coastal areas.
Source: Banglapedia (2012).
Islam and Gnauck(2010)
Mohal et al (2006)
Pender (2008)

7. Aim
The study aims to assess the impact of extreme weather event like cyclones on health of the coastal population of Bangladesh.

8. Methodology Study Design: Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Study Place: South West coastal part of Bangladesh .
Target Population: Coastal population.
Sample Size:1000 households
Data collected using Questionnaire Survey.

9. Methodology (Continue…)

10. Methodology (Continue..)

11. Methodology(Continue..)
Cyclone Sidr
Barguna District
Amtali Upazila
Baliatali Village
500 households
Cyclone Aila
Khulna District
Koyra Upazila
Barabari Village
500 Households

12. Findings
About 52 % respondents are from cyclone Sidr affected areas and 48.2% respondents are from cyclone Aila affected areas.
A vast majority household heads (36%) age is over 50 years of age and only 22.6 % are below 30 years
Among them 43.5% respondents have studied up to primary level and % respondents have completed their secondary education.
About 44.2 % respondents have/had been living in the affected areas from 21 to 40 years and 15.6% respondents have/had been residing in the area for 61 to 80 years.

13. Findings
Main occupation of the respondents –agriculture(30%) and fishing (17%).
83% women of these households look after their families and children.
Average monthly income of these households are between in US dollar
In both the areas the main source of drinking water is deep tubewell.
Most of the households use pit or slab latrine and some of them use open latrine.

14. Statistics of Natural disasters in the affected areas
Variables
Total
Sidr
Aila
Frequency
Percent
Types of natural disasters faced in the last 10 years
Cyclone
Floods
Riverbank Erosion
Droughts
Earthquakes
Extreme Heatwaves
Storm surge
Water salinity
Others
960
964
861
518
204
173
513
542 9
98.7
99.1
88.5
53.2
21.0
17.8
52.7
55.7
0.9
499
398
249 40
269
146 4
99.0
79.0
49.4
7.9
1.8
53.4
29.0
0.8
461
465
463
164
244
396 5
98.3
57.4
35.0
52.0
84.4
1.1
Recently the scale of disasters has increased
Yes No
Don’t Know
961 6
98.8
0.6
0.4
494
98.0
1.0
467 1
99.6
0.2
Local area hit by natural disasters very frequently
956 11
493 7
97.8
1.4 2

15. Health Problems comparison by area
Variables
Categories
Survey area
Sidr
Aila
Total
Frequency
Percent
Diarrhoea No
1095
51.3
420
21.7
1515
37.3
Yes
1038
48.7
1513
78.3
2551
62.7
Chi-square and - p –value 380.2; p <0.001
Food Poisoning
2084
97.7
1468
75.9
3552
87.4 49
2.3
465
24.1
514
12.6
Chi-square and p –value 434.7; p <0.001
Mental health problem
2052
96.2
1763
91.2
3815
93.8 81
3.8
170
8.8
251
6.2
Chi-square and p –value 43.7; p <0.001
Skin disease
1398
65.5
422
21.8
1820
44.8
735
34.5
1511
78.2
2246
55.2
Chi-square and p –value 38.0; p < 0.01
2133
52.5
1933
47.5
4066
100.0

16. Health Problems before and after the disaster
Variables
Categories
Odd ratio (95% C.I. for Odd ratio)
Occurrence of health problems before the disaster
Occurrence of health problems after the disaster
Age of household member
<5 yr
1.00
5-17 yr
6.31 ( )
2.53 ( )
18 yr +
7.89 ( )
2.72 ( )
Gender of the member
Male
Female
0.88( )
0.78 ( )
Religion of household head
Muslim
Hindu
0.72 ( )
1.76 ( )
Access to Television No
Yes
1.20 ( )
0.34 ( )
Access to Radio
1.18 ( )
1.15 ( )
Electricity connection in the household
0.71 ( )
1.33 ( )
Household monthly income
<=3000
>3000
0.81 ( )
0.65 ( )
Number of children living in the family
None
1 Child
1.35 ( )
1.11 ( )
2 Children
1.40 ( )
1.38 ( )
3 Children
1.27 ( )
1.30 ( )
Level of education of household head
Primary
0.70 ( )
1.02 ( )
Secondary
0.66 ( )
0.93 ( )
Mobile Phone
1.14 ( )
1.29 ( )
Survey area
Sidr
Aila
1.11 ( )
1.92 ( )

17. Findings
Income status of the household has important impacts on the health problems. The higher is the income the lower is the probability of health problems.
The number of children in the households is positively associated with health problems. The higher is the number of children the higher is likelihood that they will suffer from health problems.
Males are more vulnerable to health problems after the disaster.
Comparing to Sidr area, respondents from Aila area had 2 times higher risk of getting health problems after the natural disaster.

18. Concluding Remarks
The coastal population of Bangladesh already facing devastating effect of extreme weather events.
Natural disasters affecting their livelihoods, destroying the agricultural land and forcing them to change their jobs and indirectly affecting their food consumption and overall health.
Immediate adaptation and mitigation measures should be adopted to help these people and including strengthening the infrastructure at coastal areas to combat with these kind of natural calamities.
Future research can be conducted to find out the direct impact of extreme weather events on health of the coastal people.